how to deal with dogs running up to me in park

[HippyHippopotamus]

Hi, I figured this was as good a place as any to get advice re dogs! I've had two incidents with dogs in the last two days and i need help on how to deal with them, especially when i've got my dcs with me. dc1 is 2.5yrs and was walking with me, holding my hand. dc2 is 5mths and in a pushchair (sometimes in a carrier).

firstly, black bulldog type dog was running round the (residential) street on its own. Came bounding over to investigate me and dcs. my instinct was to pick up dc1 and stand in front of pushchair ie between dog and my dc2. this meant i could stop the dog jumping at dc2 but we couldn't get away from the dog. Dog wouldn't leave us alone, kept jumping up so i stamped my foot. This did nothing so i roared and kicked out. It ran off straight away

second one was today. i was in the park, again with dcs and a big labrador type dog came running over to us. the owner was the length of a football pitch away. dog would not leave us alone. it was trying to jump in the pushchair with my dc2, jumping up at dc1 (who i was holding). owner was calling dog but it was completely ignoring him. again, i roared and kicked out at it. it ran off. it ran away from owner and put its paws on the shoulders of a young lad trying to play football. boy's dad pulled the dog off and gave the owner a bit of a talking to once he actually caught up with his dog

now obviously I'm fine, my dcs are fine. believe it or not i love dogs but if there's a dog i don't know, jumping up at my children the above happens. i really don't want dcs scared of dogs so how do i deal with it if it happens again?

incidentally, if a dog approaches us, seems friendly and is with its owner, i always ask if its ok for dc1 to stroke it

Valhalla -

I agree with the above.

I have no problem with people asking for advice and even tried to be supportive to a recent poster who didnt love, or seem to want, her older dog.

I do have a problem with cruelty.

My way of dealing with you would be far more expedient and may just prevent me from yet again having to pick up the pieces of a human's ignorance and abuse

so go on then, what would you do to me?

i don't want to 'obtain validation', i realise that i didn't deal with either situation very well and that's why i came on here to ask for advice.

so i'm an idiotic human being now am i? thanks for that

you won't believe me, you haven't believed anything else i've written, but i think all rescuers do an amazing job. there's a pony sanctuary near me and its heartbreaking what some of them have been through.

oh ffs, i wasn't cruel to either of the dogs

you may well have a problem with cruelty but my problem is with owners who have no control over their dogs, especially in public places

I'm sorry if I was snippy in my post. DH has pissed me off and I am in a a bad mood. I have had some chocolate now and feel less pissed off, yet I am still struggling to muster sympathy for someone who thinks kicking dogs is an appropriate thing to do

You don't need to be a dog owner to know that kicking a dog will be likely to antagonise it. You just need common sense.

And you don't need to be a dog owner to understand that it is cruel either.

I do agree that the dogs should have been under control, but it's the owners you need to be kicking. Not the dogs.

You can phone the dog warden when you get home and you have access to the yellow pages or you can use 118 to get the number.

FWIW not all areas have a dog warden now, we don't anymore.

I agree with those who say the OP got an overly hard time - she did not kick the dog(s) and has said so quite clearly.

Even those who are very confident with dogs would struggle with the sheer logistics of how to handle themselves, 2 young dc and a daft dog without someone coming to harm - you run out of hands eventually!

I think the OP was v sensible to ask here - shame she didn't get more sensible advice.

I love my dog, but in the scheme of things he comes below DC every time, in every situation.

OP, I am sorry you are getting a hard time. You have my sympathy. If it's any consolation, I love dogs but hate strange dogs bounding over and bouncing all over me leaving muddy footprints (especially at this time of year), and our dogs don't like it either. I also have a friend who's terminally ill and very frail and still likes her walks - why should she be knocked over flat by idiots who don't do recall?

I'd struggle with handling a stray as often I am walking three dogs single handedly when DH is away . Wrestling with two toddlers and a stray with no collar is not really likely.

The answer of course is that dog owners shouldn't let their dogs off the lead unless they have good recall. The issue with the stray dog is slightly different - if you can't physically secure the dog to prevent it running into the road, then a quick photo with phone if possible and then when home an email to Council with a copy to your local Councillor asking what they are doing about the stray dog/dog fouling problem. Although an individual Council may not have a dog warden, they still have a legal duty to deal with strays.

Caz10, in England, ALL councils must have a dog warden by law. They need not be called "dog warden" and they might combine their DW duties with other ones - pest controller seems to be a favourite main occupation, with DW duties expected of the individual as and when required, but nonetheless the law is very clear that all councils must have someone to carry out those DW tasks.

They don't however, have to provide an out of hours DW service and sadly most councils take advantage of that part of the legislation, causing problems which I've raised on MN in some detail in the past.

Assuming that you are indeed in England I'd be interested to know who your district council is if they don't have a DW... would you mind pm-ing me it please, as I'll raise the issue with the council's Executives and councillors.

Val is right about the shared duties - situation similar here in Wales. Many Councils have DWs who are also pest controllers or do litter enforcement work or similar Env. Health issues. I'm aware that their already pitifully low priority is being squeezed further in current budget cuts. This is why it is so important MNetters raise dog issues with local Cllrs and Council officers and ensure they are not forgotten about. These days, most Councils tend to have a single call centre type number to call (some have even got radical and have acknowledged the invention of email!!) - useful to have this in your phone when out and about - not just for stray dogs but other issues too.

Absolutely, ScuttleButter, I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately a DW service is something which local councils just don't want to have to provide and most resent the expense tremendously IME. Hence most took the non-ringfenced money provided by central government for the handover of all things dog from the Police to themselves and spent it on anything and everything but the desperately needed extended dog warden service.

OP, I wasnt calling you stupid I was responding to another post where someone called your actions brave. Admittedly my wording could of been alot better though.

I wouldnt use an umbrella, my otherwise extremely people friendly Staffy aboslutely hates umbrellas and turns into the devildog from hell at the mere sight of one.

There is such a simple solution for this and it must lie in the hands of the do owners Just train your dogs

Can you talk to your local PCSO and see what their view is about dealing with dog owners who are letting their dogs run out of control intimidating people? They may just step up patrols in the local area and have a friendly word with the owners.

My second bit of advice is never start a dog thread on MN.

i'm pleased to see it has calmed down a bit on here

all apologies have been accepted
all sensible advice gratefully received and noted
all insults/threats towards me are being ignored

my area does seem to have a dog warden so his/her number is now on my mobile. and yes, i'll contact pcso today to ask their advice.

Well I'm sorry but if I had a strange dog leaping at my children I'd do whatever I felt I had to to get rid of it! I love dogs, I have two but when it comes to my kids and dogs I don't know, if I didn't know anything better to do I wouldn't have any qualms about kicking OUT (not kicking and making contact) at one that was being a nuisance in the way the OP describes.

She is asking for advice and she's getting basically told she's cruel!

Knowing what I know now, I'd keep myself between my child/ren and the dog (moving to body block it if necessary), all the while keeping my back to it. Chances are the dogs WERE just checking you out and meant no harm, and if you're boring they're more likely to bugger off. If I was hassled often, and couldn't avoid places I was likely to be hassled, I'd probably be tempted to take a squirty bottle of water out with me.

I'm in Scotland!